Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Malone University baseball team wrapped up its three-game series with Hillsdale (MI) College on Monday by tallying a 1-1 record in a pair of games at Thurman Munson Stadium.  The Pioneers dropped the opener 6-3 before fighting back for an 8-4 triumph in game two.

Malone's record moved to 11-13 overall and 6-3 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) following Monday's action while the Chargers now hold a 7-16 overall mark and a 5-4 record in conference games.

Malone will be back in action at home on Wednesday with a 1:00 p.m. GLIAC doubleheader against Wayne State (MI) University.

Game One Recap
Hillsdale jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the top of the first inning of the opener.  The Pioneers cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the frame as centerfielder Keanan Locke led off the inning with a walk, moved to third on a double by rightfielder Matt Wheeler and then crossed the plate on a RBI groundout by first baseman Logan Gray.

Hillsdale's lead then grew to 6-1 as the Chargers scored twice in the third, once in the fourth and once in the sixth.  An RBI single by leftfielder Ryan Froman and a sacrifice fly by second baseman Austin Pachan trimmed the deficit to 6-3 in the bottom of the sixth. 

However, the Pioneers were unable to complete the comeback as Charger closer Dan Pochmara worked a scoreless seventh to register his third save of the year.

Gary Lawrenece started on the mound for Malone but was forced to leave the contest due to injury after 2.2 innings.

Froman went 2-for-3 at the plate to pace the Pioneer offense in game one

Game Two Recap
Early offense propelled the Pioneers to victory in game two as seven of Malone's runs crossed the plate over the first three innings.  Locke helped key Malone's bats as the sophomore went 4-for-4 from the lead-off spot with two RBI's, two runs scored and a stolen base.  Pachan also had a big game, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored.

After Malone's first run scored on a balk, third baseman Jon Crank got things going in the bottom of the first with a two-run double to right.  An RBI single by Locke and another balk pushed the lead to 5-1 in the second.

The Chargers cut the deficit to 5-3 in the top of the third before Malone tacked on two more runs in the third with an RBI single by Locke and a bases-loaded walk by Wheeler.

Hillsdale made it 7-4 with a sacrifice fly in the fourth before Pachan wrapped up the scoring in the fifth, leading off the frame with a double and then later racing home on a Wheeler sacrifice fly.

Freshman Gunnar Smeyres tossed the first five innings to pick up his third win of the season (3-3), yielding four runs (two earned) on seven hits.  Right-hander Brad Beachy then followed with two scoreless innings of relief.